Scandals at Syrian Universities Raise Eyebrows
SMN No. 7, August 11, 2010
A number of Syrian bloggers have criticised alleged corruption at Syrian universities, including claims of a trade in exam questions at some faculties. A number of stories have appeared in the media related to teachers allegedly leaking exam questions or blackmailing their students.
In reference to an online article on cases of professors favouring their own children over other students, Zeino’s blog said that it was shameful that such excesses would happen at Damascus University’s law school.
The blogger said that the alleged incidences were inacceptable since a law school is responsible for “shaping the legal face” of the country.
In July, students at Aleppo university discussed corruption on their online forum, with one student writing about a series of practices that happen around exam time, such as the sale of exam questions, which he claimed was a profitable business.One claimed there was evidence that some professors at one faculty were favouring their own children over other students.
A recent article by the local website Syria News reported that three law students received almost top grades for courses taught by their own parents, pointing out that only a small percentage of students achieved such results.
The article added that the government sent a warning to the implicated teachers but did not dismiss them.
The aforementioned blogger considered the government’s decision lax and questioned the seriousness of the ministry of education in combating corruption.
Local websites have also reported about a history college professor who’d been sacked after being accused of having an affair with one his students.
